The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-03-09
9I;SalGIs)ss$YslEEo
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 8, 1887.
DEATH OF AN OLD FRIEND.
gDe ole Man Am Left to Watch in de Dark.
- S meas AIon2w


eDe ole Man Am Left to watch in de Dark
ga ness Alonei"
II reckon he's dun bin called fur, sab"
said the old man as he came around to
the grocery,
Il Somebody dyings" asked man who
was passing.
. Yes, Sah.''
ssWho is it91
ssJupiter, sall-my dog Jupiter. Mebbe
We wouldn't mind gwine aroun dar wild
me2 It's lonely like to be wild anybody
dyln'."
& The old mans face proved that he was
deeply moved, and the pedestrian went
with him. Around the corner and o half
a block up the street they went into q
yard and there lay the old dog on the
grass, eyes half closed and breathing
"Hes meas gone--moas' gone" whls-
pered the old man as he knelt on the
ground and softly smoothed the body.
What's the natter"
iaOld aige sah-nuffin but old aige.
He's bin givin' out dis last var, but I
didn't reckon 1t would come quite SO
soon.'
.How long have you had him?"
8. Dat's--dat's what makes 1t hurt mo
So rized him up since de time when
he wasn't biggef'n my fist. It's gwlne on
twenty Vars since dis dog stepped foot
In my cabin Jupiter, does ye hear ole
marse taIkln' to ye? Does ye know lee
right yere beside yer"
Twenty years is long time" said the
pedestrian.
~. Yes, a long. long Time" whispered
tho old man. stAnd dis zero Jupiter has
> mixed in wild all my Joys an sorrows-
= all my good luck an bad. He's seen de
II, a., III ha "A f1lautv an he's aaQu de
time when he had neither food nor fiah.
Jupiter, open yer eyes once an look at
me lie right yerel I wouldn't leave
We fur all de gold In do hull world.
How does your wife take itl" asked
the visitor.
Deed, sah but--but--"
The old man broke down at that,
tears raining down his cheeks and his
throat filling UP, and 1t was long minute
before he resumed:
'.She's deadi Died five Vars ago.
Jupiter an me was all alone In de house
Wild her when she closed her eyes, / sot
here a-holdin' OF her hands and singin';
She's gwine up to heaben In O chariot,
She's gwine to jine de band;
De bells am a-rlngin' fur to call her,
She's a-gwine to dat better land :
"An' dis Jupiter sot dar an knowed
dat she was dyin list as well as ! did,
and he mourned an mourned an couldn't
be comforted. Itwar days an days befo'
he would eat mouful, an many night
az we sot In de darkness, step on de
sidewalk soundin' like old Sues would
make him spring up an bark fur Joy.
He's been fist like relations to me since
dat"
Its too bad y
yves. I'd gin all / had In de world
to keep him alive q var longer. Jupiter,
YnaAl-nId VnorQQl Dnarf h'nr
talkin' to YEP
"Have you always lived here?" asked
the man, striving to divert the others
attention"
mo. sab, an OATS another reason why
/ can't keep de tears back. Doyou know
dat mar'd Sue down in Georgia In de
ole slave days? Jlst befo' do wa she
was sold away from me an | nebber
'spected to see her no mo-. AFTER dc wa
/ Ibid IN Richmond, an somebody tele
me dat my Sue was In Detroit. 1 didn't
wait to arm money! didn't wait TO writ
to her. but dat same night ! sotout afoot.
jupiter wild me.
ut was weeks an weeks afo' we got
yere. We went hungry an thirsty. We
lay down at night all tired out, an we got
up In de mawnin' Wild all cur bones achin'.
Some helped us an some cursed US, an
we got yere at last an found my Sue.
Sich rejoicin' an eryin' an prayln'i An
Jupiter seemed TO understan' all about IL.
kase I'd told him the huh story ober an
ober a'gn as we traInped long de high
ways"
dHe is dead r whispered the man.
"Am he dead2 Fo' de Lawd he am !
Jupiter! Jupiter"
II viii help you bury him II you will
get spade.
Thanks !" answered the old man when
ha c0uld choke down hia FAILING HNo